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20 October 2021
Issue: 7953 / Categories: Legal News , Covid-19 , Constitutional law
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Covid scrutiny

Ministers ‘have grown accustomed to the ease with which laws can be made… and seem reluctant to relinquish law-making functions back to Parliament’ now the initial stages of the pandemic have passed, the Bingham Centre has warned

In a report published last week, ’18 months of COVID-19 legislation in England: a rule of law analysis’, the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law found the government was still failing to give MPs impact assessments so they could properly scrutinise measures.

Moreover, the government had not been sufficiently transparent about how scientific advice fed into policy-making; continued to portray its public health advice as having the force of law, causing confusion among both public and police; and used delegated legislation for measures that substantially affected people’s everyday lives including criminalising ordinary behaviour.

MPs were due to vote this week on whether to renew the temporary provisions in the Coronavirus Act 2020 for a further six months.

Issue: 7953 / Categories: Legal News , Covid-19 , Constitutional law
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

HFW—Simon Petch

HFW—Simon Petch

Global shipping practice expands with experienced ship finance partner hire

Freeths—Richard Lockhart

Freeths—Richard Lockhart

Infrastructure specialist joins as partner in Glasgow office

NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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